


Interlude

by CalicoThunder



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Galra Keith (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Lance being comforting and, M/M, Season 2 canon compliant, idk an actual character in the show??? thanks, omg that tag is relevant now, season 2 spoilers too, this takes place between ep8 and 9, what should've happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-22
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-19 03:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9417065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalicoThunder/pseuds/CalicoThunder
Summary: Keith is Galra- it's inescapable fact now. How will anything stay the same? Maybe Lance knows.(Taking place between episode eight and nine, after Keith gets hurt fighting for the truth about his past but before all of the team goes over their plan to take down Zarkon.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> The Klance is pretty ambiguous, it can be read as platonic if you want, I just needed something of a reaction from someone after Keith's galra reveal instead of what dreamwork gave us (ugh). 
> 
> p.s. if lance seems a little out of character, that's because season 2 gave me literally nothing to work with.

When Keith falls out of the healing pod, the only person waiting for him is Shiro.

The lights are harsh and blinding, prompting him to squeeze his eyes shut as he falls into the firm arms of the Black Paladin. Shiro uprights him, holding his weathered body steady.

“Shiro…?” Keith whispers, looking down at his white pod suit through closed eyelashes.

“I’m here, Keith.” Shiro’s solid voice fills the room, lumbering through the dead quiet.

Keith’s eyes finally adjust to the light, and he looks at Shiro’s gray eyes tentatively. His muscles are weary and slow-moving, but at least nothing hurts anymore. A phantom pain cuts across his right shoulder, just like the blade of that first Marmora warrior.

“I’m tired.” He says, voice weak from disuse.

“I’m sure you are, buddy. You took quite a beating in there, y’know.” Shiro lets a tiny smile dance across his mouth at Keith’s expense. He’s always known Keith so well.

“I deserved it.” Keith says, and before Shiro can respond he steps away tumultuously. “Aren’t you mad? Or- or scared?” Suddenly he feels the urge to cry, but it’s outweighed by the wariness he feels towards Shiro’s calculating gaze. So much has happened, things are so different now- how can anyone want him around anymore?

“I’ll be honest, Keith.” The Red Paladin looks up to lock eyes with his friend. “Under very different circumstances, I’d most definitely be feeling a little angry, maybe even hurt- but that doesn’t really matter. I’m surprised, for sure.”

Keith casts his gaze back down to Shiro’s feet, standing guarded and dejected. “I- I was too, when I first found out. I can’t believe I’m a _monster_ , Shiro, I’m one of them- can I even be a Paladin anymore? What if Red won’t let me back in? What if she breaks the bond? Allura will send me back to Earth, Shiro, and there’s nothing for me there. How can I-” He cuts himself off with a hiccup, feeling the first of many hot, guilty tears slide down his cheek.

“You’re rambling, and tired. You should sleep. It’s the middle of the night, and tomorrow we’re coming up with a plan to destroy the Galra-”

Keith winces.

“-I mean, destroy Zarkon’s empire.” Shiro corrects himself, though his face is still carefully indifferent.

“Shiro…” Keith croaks, but the Black Paladin comes forward and rests his hand on Keith’s shoulder, guiding him toward the door.

“Please, Keith. Get some rest. We’ll talk later.”

“You promise?” Keith asks, and he hates to sound like a little kid, but he finds that the pit of loneliness and longing that’s sat at the base of his gut since before the Garrison has been steadily deepening since he first recognized that mark on Ulaz’s blade.

“Sure.” Shiro says, and with that he stalks off towards the bridge, leaving Keith alone in the haunting dimness of the Castle’s artificial nighttime.  

The walk to his room is brutal. He remembers everything in bits and pieces as he trudges along, like the weight of every breath after he was felled again and again by Marmora warriors. Like the dream of his father, pledging to him an explanation of his past after all these years. Like Earth in peril, swarmed by marching armies of Galra drones in a flaming, apocalyptic, and frighteningly lucid dream that Keith felt could’ve been a premonition. Like Shiro, telling him the truth- that he’s selfish and undisciplined, not ready to lead by any means. And like his knife, his one real and tangible clue as to who he really is, evolving into a deadly form as the Blade of Marmora tells him he has Galra blood running through his veins.

How would the other Paladins take it? Or the Lions? The last time a Galra was a Paladin, he ended up betraying his allies and conquering the universe for millennia. How would Coran and Allura treat him now, as he was akin to the very beings who destroyed their homes, families, and entire civilization?

 _We’ll find out tomorrow,_ he thinks, and he tries to ignore the pang of dread that whips down his spine.

His room is dark and quiet when he enters, just as he’d left it- his jacket hangs on a hook by the door, the rest of his clothes in a heap on the floor below it. His knife rests on his pillow, dormant, and he fights the voice in his head that tells him to throw it and himself into the black abyss of space.

He strips out of the healing pod suit until he’s clad in nothing but underwear. He can see his new scar as it stripes down his pectoral from the crest of his right shoulder, just a few shades darker than his pale skin. The sight makes him angry.

It was sloppy to get hit so badly so early on in his trials- he’d have lasted much longer if he’d just managed to block that strike. He thought for sure that he could take on these Galra bladesman, thinking himself much too skilled to fall victim to them.

_But now I am a Galra bladesman._

His mind’s betrayal sits heavy on his shoulders as he collapses onto his bunk, sitting on the edge with his elbows anchored to his knees. Sleep, already hard to come by for the Red Paladin, will be fleeting and restless tonight.

_All I can do is get to work, try to move past it, tell them it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter, it doesn’t-_

The telltale bleep of someone entering his room interrupts his spiral, though it provokes no physical reaction from him. He merely lets his head fall into his hands, hoping he doesn’t look half as defeated as he feels.

“Come to scream at me?” He whispers, not even caring who the hell is there- he just knows he wants them gone.

“For once, no.”

It’s Keith’s turn to be surprised as he looks up to see Lance leaning against the doorway, dressed in his pajamas and looking weary. “Lance?”

“That’s my name.”

Keith sighs and goes back to rubbing his palms in his eyes, trying to scrub away the memories. “What do you want? Allura turn you down again?”

“No,” Lance lets out a little chuckle, unperturbed by the small traces of venom in Keith’s voice. “I ran into Shiro while I was grabbing a snack. Sounds like some pretty crazy stuff went down on that mission.”

Keith’s hands run up the sides of his face, into his hair. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I got pretty worried when Coran told us that the Red Lion was going haywire on that base.” Lance says, shoving off the doorframe to walk into the room, coming to a stop a few feet in front of the Red Paladin.

“Why?” Keith asks, throwing the whole ‘not talking about it’ thing to the stars.

“Well, I wouldn’t have anyone to keep me on point if you were gone. Not to mention, Shiro would be gone too, but that wasn’t really it.” Lance crosses his arms in Keith’s peripheral, putting all his weight on one leg.

“How much did he tell you?” Keith manages, and he hates himself for being scared of the answer. He doesn’t move his head.

“Well, he told me that those Marmora guys put you through some really rough trials, and that you lasted longer in them than any other person has. Speaking of which, mind if I sit down?”

Keith doesn’t answer, and Lance, in his very Lance way, immediately settles on Keith’s right side, stretching his mile-long legs out and crossing them as he leans back on his hands.

_He can never take a hint._

“That’s all?” Keith grits out, noting how his voice has grown softer because of the smaller proximity.

“Of course not.” Lance sighs.

It’s quiet for a long, long time, the thrum of the Castle’s engine lulling Keith into a sense of graciousness.

_Better enjoy it while I can._

The silence isn’t thick, or awkward, or even that tense, really. Just there, a reminder of how this changes things because silence and Lance are two of the most opposite objects in the universe.

“Go on, then. Say it.” Keith spits after a moment more, finally sitting up to look Lance in the eye.

“Say what?” Lance asks, quirking an eyebrow. His own eyes shine blue, even in the sleep-setting lights of the room.

“Tell me how disgusted you are. Tell me I’m a monster, unfit to be a Paladin. Tell me there’s no place for me here, and that I’m dead to you all now.” Keith says evenly, unwilling to break down in front of Lance, of all people.

“If that’s what you want me to say, I will. But if that’s what you’re expecting me to say, then I’ve got a surprise for you, buddy.” Lance says, looking directly at Keith.

The Red Paladin’s eyes widen enough to prompt Lance to shrug, swiveling his gaze towards the far wall.

“What?” Keith finally asks, eyebrows drawn together in confusion.

Lance shrugs again, before, “This doesn’t really change anything, honestly. You’re still a Paladin, and you’re still annoying, brooding, better-than-everyone Keith. I have a feeling nothing could hurt your ego, dude.”

“What? Keith asks again, thrown by Lance’s flippant attitude. “But I’m part _Galra_ , Lance, the thing we fight every day? The reason we’re here? I’m one of the enemy. I could be a spy, for all you know.”  

Lance’s gaze trails back to Keith’s eyes, then looks the Red Paladin up and down, and Keith suddenly remembers that he’s not wearing anything but his black boxer briefs.

“Well, are you a spy?”

Keith hesitates. “...No.”

“Are you an enemy, then?”

“No, Lance.”

“Are you a big, hulking purple furry with yellow eyes and gnashing teeth, desperate for a taste of the blood of the innocent?”

“No! I just-”

“Then you’re still a good guy, Keith. You’re no enemy.” Lance says. He lifts his hand to set it on Keith’s bare right shoulder, hovering it there as he looks at Keith for silent permission. Keith grants it with a secretly relieved sigh, even if he still feels a little wary.

Lance’s hand is warm and soft where it presses against his tender scar, tracing it like he wants to commit it to memory. “If you’re anyone’s enemy, you’re mine, rival.” Lance says.

“I don’t know, Lance. I- I mean- Thank you, for what you said, but- do the others know?”

That’s when Lance looks away, but his hand remains a firm presence on Keith’s pale skin. “Yeah. Pidge stayed pretty unfazed about it all, and Hunk was saying that it didn’t really affect him that much, but-”

“But what? Was it Shiro?”

“No no. Shiro and I were team Keith, actually. Allura and Coran were pretty stricken. She seems especially bothered- she almost hit Shiro while they were talking about it, I could see her fingers twitching.” Lance says, scooting closer to Keith’s folding form.

“I knew it. She’s gonna kick me out, Lance, I’ll have to leave-” Keith cuts himself off with a series of heavy, quick breaths that set his body on edge.

“Whoa whoa whoa, cool your jets, Keith. Last time I checked, you were a Paladin of Voltron, bonded to your Lion.” Lance brings his other hand to wrap around Keith’s arm, trying to sooth him.

“But I’m _Galra_ , Lance.” Keith says, as if it were all the proof in the world.

“So? If that were a problem, Red wouldn’t have accepted you in the first place. Now she’s flying across space and busting up secret asteroid bases for you. And Allura can have all the problems she wants, but even she can’t break that bond. Nothing has changed, Keith.” Lance’s face has become serious, an odd look on him, and his thumb is rubbing calming circles into the skin of Keith’s bicep.

Keith looks deep into Lance’s eyes, shocked that the flirtatious, whiny Blue Paladin could be so mature and wise- it was almost like talking to Shiro, without all the familiarity of knowing each other for years. Lance is comforting in his own right, though, physically and emotionally saving Keith from his dangerous spiral of turmoil in the wake of his revelation.

“You really think Red will still want me?”

Lance rolls his eyes. “You were part Galra then, you’re part Galra now. You’re no different than the day you found Red and she found you, so there’s no reason for her to leave you. You’re a Galra Paladin, and that’s fine. Just… don’t go betraying us because of a power hungry madness and destroying civilizations in a quest to conquer the known universe, okay?”

Keith elbows Lance in the ribs roughly, but feels the beginnings of a smile trace his mouth timidly. Lance’s hands still course over his skin, grounding him, and it’s the first time Keith can really say he’s happy Lance is here.

Lance laughs at his little joke, finally dropping his hands from Keith and onto his lap. “You should rest, we have a big day tomorrow.”

“The Blade has a plan to take down Zarkon, right?”

“Oh, they do. And it’ll be awesome.” Lance stands up, moving to the door. “Get some sleep, Red Paladin.”

“Lance!” Keith finds himself calling out as the Blue Paladin is halfway through the door. Lance looks back, curious. “Thank you.” he says softly, and the look Lance gives him is so warm and earnest that he wishes he could look at it longer.

“No biggy, Keith. Stay you.” Lance shoots finger guns and the door closes behind him, leaving Keith alone once more.

He crawls under the covers of his bed, lying on his back to avoid any discomfort, and falls asleep dreaming of Lance, the stars, his father, and the fall of the Galra Empire.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I just had to add some character to Lance after the injustice done to him (and Hunk) in season 2. I love Keith and everything but by god was Lance even in the show? Thace seemed more important than him all season long. If you're like me and salty af about a lot of season 2 feel free to hmu on tumblr at CalicoThunder!!!
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!


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